The invention relates to an animal control apparatus, commonly referred to as a halter, intended to be applied to the animal's head. Generally, halters are designed to wrap around the head of an animal, e.g. a horse, for the purpose of catching, holding, leading, tying, or generally controlling the animal. Utilizing a fastener, e.g. a buckle, halters are designed to be removeably attached to the animal.
Halters are subjected to wear through repeated use. Damage to the halter can occur if the animal has a behavioral outburst, e.g. pulls back while tied. When this occurs it is frequently the fastener or closure mechanism that fails due to wear or damage. This may render the halter unusable, e.g., because the clasps typically used on halters are not designed to be easily replaced.
In the event that the halter does not fail under an extreme load, such as when an animal pulls back when tied, the animal could suffer an injury to the head, spinal column, etc.